SOUTH AFRICA’S national prosecuting authority (NPA) yesterday cleared the way for African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma to become the country’s next president when it controversially dropped corruption charges against him.
Mr Zuma was facing 16 corruption and fraud charges relating to a multimillion-euro government arms deal with French arms company Thint that dated back to 1999.
However, the ANC leader has always denied any wrongdoing, and maintained that the case against him was politically motivated and involved people who wanted to stop him from securing the country’s highest office.
Yesterday’s announcement was greeted with both jubilation and disappointment by a public that has been split over Mr Zuma’s innocence or guilt.
Tellingly, the NPA said it was not dropping the graft charges because it did not have a case against Mr Zuma, but rather because the prosecution’s own process was flawed and there were signs of political interference.Chief prosecutor Mokotedi Mpshe said the prosecuting authority had received recordings of phone conversations from Mr Zuma’s lawyers that suggested the timing of the decision to recharge Mr Zuma in 2007 had been manipulated.
“I have come to the difficult conclusion that it is neither possible nor desirable for the NPA to continue with the prosecution of Mr Zuma,” Mr Mpshe said.
“It is a difficult decision because the NPA has expended considerable resources on this matter, and it has been conducted by a committed and dedicated team of prosecutors and investigators who have handled a difficult case with utmost professionalism and who have not been implicated in any misconduct,” he added.
Shortly after the announcement in Johannesburg, main opposition leader Helen Zille said she was not prepared to let the matter stand, and would file an application in the high court today for a judicial review of the decision to withdraw the charges.
The ruling party welcomed the NPA’s decision, saying it was “a victory for the rule of law, decency and common sense – it is good for our nation, the ANC, and comrade president Zuma’s family”.
The party added: “Comrade Zuma endured an ordeal that has never been experienced by any other citizen . . . He was subjected to trial by the media and in the court of public opinion, he was denied his constitutional right to equality, dignity, privacy and right of access to court.”